Western Prepares for Homecoming

October 9, 2006 News for the Faculty and Staff of Western Carolina University Students in Western’s musical the fi nest performances from his actors, and an accomplished theatre program soon will be composer of musical scores. He will bring unsurpassed real- learning from a Broadway veteran world experience that will be invaluable to our theatre students,” with a reputation for being a real Bardo said. “beast” on the set. Highlighting Mann’s stage credits are several roles he Terrence Mann, who originated originated on Broadway – a memorable turn as Rum Tum Tugger the role of the Beast in the in “Cats,” his Tony Award–nominated performance as Inspector Broadway production of “Beauty Javert in “Les Miserables,” and his portrayal of Chauvelin in and the Beast,” is the new Carolyn “The Scarlett Pimpernel.” He also has taken the Broadway stage Plemmons Phillips and Ben R. in “Lennon,” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” “Getting Away Phillips Distinguished Professor With Murder,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Rags,” “Barnum,” “Jerome in Musical Theatre. Mann, who Robbins’ Broadway” and “Jekyll and Hyde.” earned Tony, Drama Desk and Mann’s fi lm credits include “Critters,” “A Chorus Line,” Outer Critics Circle nominations “Big Top Pee Wee,” and “Solar Babies,” and he has appeared for best actor for his performance on television on “Law and Order,” “Love Monkey,” “Mrs. Santa of the Beast, joins the faculty Claus,” “American Revolution” and “All My Children.” He earned beginning this fall semester. an Emmy Award nomination for his performance on the CBS show “Our students in the performing “As the World Turns.” arts already have access to one Director and composer for the musical adaptation of “Romeo of the best facilities to be found and Juliet,” Mann is founding artistic director of the Carolina anywhere in our new Fine and Arts Festival and served as artistic director of the North Carolina Performing Arts Center. Having a two-time Tony Award nominee Theatre for 14 years, directing more than 25 musical productions as a member of our faculty is a signifi cant development for our during his tenure. A graduate of the N.C. School of the Arts, he musical theatre program,” said Western Chancellor John W. Bardo. also was artistic director of “The Lost Colony,” North Carolina’s “Terrence Mann is widely regarded as a tremendous performer long-running outdoor drama. on stage and screen, a consummate director who can entice Continued on page 4 Western Prepares for Homecoming ’06 A parade, pep rally, fi reworks, golf music, food, fi reworks and more – will tournament, dancing, music, rafting, football begin at 8 p.m. at the Catamount and fun highlight the busy Homecoming Athletic Complex following the Lady 2006 weekend at Western on Oct. 13-15. Cats soccer match versus The College Western will host its 11th annual of Charleston. Also Friday is the Homecoming parade in downtown Sylva Alumni Scholarship Golf Tournament, beginning at 6:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13. The teeing off at noon at Waynesville’s parade will include community and Laurel Ridge Country Club. university ﬂ oats, the Homecoming court, and Reservations are required. Western athletes, cheerleaders and the Pride The Homecoming king and queen of the Mountains Marching Band. A pre- will be announced at halftime during parade ﬂ oat-building party begins at 6 p.m. the Saturday, Oct. 14, football game Nursing alumni reconnect at Homecoming. Thursday, Oct. 12, in the Ramsey Regional between Western and Southern include an alumni breakfast, special tailgate Activity Center. Conference foe University of Tennessee at parties and reunion luncheons for the classes Following Friday’s parade, a “Spirit Chattanooga. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. of 2001, 1996, 1991, 1986, 1981, 1976, 1966, Night” celebration – including a pep rally, Before the game, Saturday events will Continued on page 2 Award-Winning Novelist Thanks In the story, Ralph and Carter Stanley WCU Library and George Frizzell struggle to find an audience for their music at a Homecoming ’06 continued from page 1 time when bluegrass and mountain music were 1956 and 1946. Reservations are required for In the author’s note being replaced on the radio by country and the breakfast. of “Thirteen Moons,” rock. Despite pressure from the record labels to Post-game activities include StompFest 2006, award-winning writer switch to rock ’n‘ roll, the duo remained loyal a step-show competition among African- Charles Frazier thanks to its traditional roots. American fraternity and sorority groups. On several people for helping Following the untimely death of his brother Sunday, Oct. 15, a homecoming weekend him conduct research for Carter, Ralph resigns himself to a life of rafting trip will be held on the Nantahala River the book including George at 10 a.m. Registration is required. The week- Frizzell, head of special obscurity and performing for small audiences. That changed when their music gained national end festivities will conclude later in the day collections at Western with a performance by Western’s Inspirational Carolina University’s prominence from the unprecedented success of the soundtrack for the movie “O Brother Where Choir at 3:30 p.m. in the Grandroom of A.K. Hunter Library. Frazier Hinds University Center. also expressed appreciation for the library itself. Art Thou?” The Grammy Award-winning soundtrack featured two Stanley Brothers’ songs – For reservations or more information, call the “I hope none of them will be too bothered by Office of Alumni Affairs at (828) 227-7335; “O Death” and “Man of Constant Sorrow.” the liberties and detours I’ve taken with the facts or the A.K. Hinds University Center offices at Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for senior they aimed me so directly toward,” said Frazier (828) 227-7206. in the book, which was released this week. citizens 60 and older, $20 for WCU faculty and The novel traces the life of an orphan boy staff, and $5 for students ages 5 and up. Group whose experiences include running a remote rates also are available. Indian trading post and finding a family among For more information about performances, the Cherokee. “Thirteen Moons” won praise call the Fine and Performing Arts Center box Don Livingston, professor of political sci- in reviews in publications such as USA Today office at (828) 227-2479 or visit the Web site at ence and public affairs, was recently selected and Newsweek, and sales of the book placed it http://fapac.wcu.edu/. by the North Carolina Political Science As- among Amazon.com’s top five sellers the day sociation at its annual meeting to serve as the after its release. WCU’s Debo Receives organization’s representative to the editorial Brian Railsback, dean of the WCU Honors board of Politics and Policy, a highly respected College, said he was able to read an advance AAUW Grant of $6,000 professional, refereed journal in the discipline copy that Frazier’s wife Katherine sent to him. Annette Debo, assistant of political science and public affairs. “It is an incredibly researched, poetic portrait professor of English, is Laura Myers, visiting professor in the of life in our mountains during the most recipient of a grant from the department of applied criminology, has been tumultuous period for the Cherokee people,” American Association of selected to serve a second term as editor of said Railsback. “I believe this novel will University Women Educational the Journal of Knowledge and Best Practices prove to be very important for our region and Foundation to assist her in in Juvenile Justice and Psychology. Myers is a founding editor of this journal, which shares Cherokee in particular. It’s a literary epic, and finishing her project “The information about programs and policies effec- American H.D.: Theorizing a magnificent read.” tive in reducing juvenile crime. Past topics have Modernist Identity.” Frazier’s first book, “Cold Mountain,” Annette Debo included identifying risk factors involved with spent a combined 94 weeks on the New Debo’s monograph was one of youth dating violence and the appropriateness York Times best-seller list in hardcover and 58 projects chosen for funding by the foundation of juvenile transfer to adult court. paperback versions, and was adapted into a out of 738 applications. She is receiving an “Saints at the River,” a novel by Ron Rash, movie. The book also won the 1997 National American Summer/Short-Term Research the Parris Distinguished Professor of Appala- Publication Grant of $6,000. Book Award for Fiction. chian Cultural Studies, is the 2006 selection Debo’s project addresses the significance of The author’s ties to Western include family for Together We Read. Now in its fourth year, ties, too. His father, Charles O. Frazier, earned nationality in the artistic vision of modernist Together We Read is a community reading his bachelor’s degree in business education writer Hilda Doolittle. program designed to get people in 16 Western from Western in 1947 and later an education “Hilda Doolittle serves as an important North Carolina counties reading and discussing specialist degree. To honor him, Frazier subject for study because of her versatile career the same book. Events are scheduled throughout and his wife established through their Cold that stretched from 1909 to 1961,” Debo said. the region through December. “She was a major American writer who lived Mountain Foundation the Charles O. Frazier Sara Stoltenburg, director of the Women’s Endowed Scholarship Fund that helps students her adult life abroad, a poet who also wrote Center, has been nominated to serve a three- from Macon County attend WCU. experimental novels, a white writer with ties to year term on the National Women’s Studies - by TERESA KILLIAN the Harlem Renaissance, an intellectual who Association’s Women’s Center Advisory Coun- collaborated on avant-garde films, and an upper- cil.

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